Lesson 32

Module 08 · Grammar in Use

A2+

Exam Skills —Open Cloze: Travel Problems

Reading & Writing Part 5 (open cloze) · error-correction · travel problems

60 min Exam skills · Open cloze grammar words

A2 Key

Teacher Notes

A2 Key parts in this lesson

Speaking 3Listening 2Grammar

Why this lesson now? Practises Speaking 3 and Listening 2 again, with a focus on correct grammar.

Your level · You are here

A0/A1Beginner
A1/A2Elementary
A2/B1Pre-Intermediate
B1/B1+Intermediate
B2Upper-Intermediate
C1Advanced
C2Proficiency

Get ready · 01

5 min

Get talking

discussion

Travel trouble

Name three things that can go wrong on a journey (delay, lost luggage…).

activity

Spot the extra word

'The train was for late.' One word shouldn't be there — which one?

reflection

Error hunt

In pairs, guess: which grammar word family causes the most mistakes — prepositions or articles?

Grammar for the Exam · 02

8–10 min

Open cloze: correcting instead of just choosing

Grammar Bank: Open cloze: correcting instead of just choosingJumps straight to this rule — full explanation, examples & practice

Quick rule

If a sentence sounds wrong, check articles and prepositions first — they cause the most slips.

How it works

1This lesson trains the same six grammar-word families as before (articles, prepositions, pronouns, auxiliaries, linkers, quantifiers), but from a different angle: instead of only filling gaps, you correct sentences that already have a wrong grammar word in them.
2This trains your eye to notice mistakes quickly, which also helps you check your own open-cloze answers before you finish.

Examples

Wrong: 'The flight was delay because of the weather.' → 'delayed'
Wrong: 'We waited on the airport for three hours.' → 'at the airport'
Wrong: 'I have lost my ticket yesterday.' → 'I lost my ticket yesterday.'
Wrong: 'There was much people at the station.' → 'many people'

Question 1.Correct the error: 'We waited on the platform for hours.'

Question 2.Correct the error: 'I have lost my passport yesterday.'

Question 3.Correct the error: 'There was much people at the gate.'

Question 4.Correct the error: 'The bus was late, but I still catch it.'

Question 5.Correct the error: 'She is arrived at the hotel already.'

Question 6.Correct the error: 'We didn't have some money for a taxi.'

Answer all items, then check.

Quick check 1.Which two word families cause the most travel-story errors?

Answer all items, then check.

Exam Vocabulary · 03

5–7 min

Words & phrases to own

Open Vocabulary BankTap any word below to jump straight to its entry

to be delayed

to be later than planned

Use it

Have you ever been delayed? What happened?

to miss (a train/flight)

to arrive too late to catch it

Use it

Have you ever missed a train or flight?

lost property

the office where lost things are kept

Use it

Have you ever visited a lost property office?

a connection

a second flight/train you must catch to continue your journey

Use it

Have you ever nearly missed a connection?

to check in

to arrive and register at an airport, hotel or station

Use it

What time do you usually check in for a flight?

a refund

money given back to you

Use it

Have you ever asked for a refund?

Matching

What to do

Match each travel word with its meaning.

Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Answer all items, then check.

Use it now

Activation · Personalise · Recycle

Tell a real or invented travel story using these words.

Ask your partner

Task 1

Ask your partner

Tell your partner about a time you were delayed.
Have you ever missed a train or flight?

Usedelayedmissed

Complete it

Task 2

"Once I nearly missed a connection because…"connection

Your opinion

Task 3

Do you think airlines should always give a refund for delays? Why?

Give your answer + one reason.

Userefund

Quick write

Task 4

Write two sentences about checking in for a trip and visiting lost property.

Usecheck inlost property

Pronunciation for Speaking · 04

3–4 min

Past simple -ed endings in travel stories

Say it like this

-ed sounds like /t/, /d/ or /ɪd/ depending on the last sound of the verb.

• The flight was delayed.
• We missed the connection.
• I waited at the gate.
• She checked in early.

Reading Skills · 05

8–10 min

Open cloze — A difficult journey

Read along — listen to the text

Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.

Last month I travelled [[1]] Rome to visit my cousin. Everything started well, but [[2]] I arrived at the airport, I found out my flight [[3]] delayed by two hours. I waited [[4]] the gate with hundreds of other passengers. When I finally landed, I discovered [[5]] of my bags had been lost. I had to fill in a form and wait three days for it to arrive. In the end, the airline gave me [[6]] money for the trouble.

Question 1.Where was the writer travelling to?

Question 2.What happened at the airport?

Question 3.How long was the delay?

Question 4.What problem happened after landing?

Question 5.What did the airline do in the end?

Answer all items, then check.

Listening Skills · 06

8–10 min

At the train station

Listening audio

Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.

Show transcript

Announcer:We're sorry to announce the 10:15 to Leeds is delayed by twenty minutes.

Sofia:Did you hear that? Our train's delayed.

Marco:Great, and I have a connection in Leeds in forty minutes.

Sofia:Don't worry, twenty minutes shouldn't be a problem.

Marco:I hope not. Should we get a coffee while we wait?

Sofia:Good idea. There's a café just next to platform two.

Marco:Perfect. Let's check the board again after that.

Sofia:Sure — and don't forget your bag this time!

Question 1.How late is the train?

Question 2.What is Marco worried about?

Question 3.How long does Marco have for his connection?

Question 4.What does Sofia suggest?

Question 5.Where is the café?

Answer all items, then check.

Question 1.What does Sofia remind Marco about at the end?

Answer all items, then check.

Exam Strategy · 07

5 min

Open cloze — travel-problem texts

Strategy

After writing your six words, re-read the text once looking only for articles and prepositions.

Task

Complete a six-gap travel story, then self-correct using the error-checking method from this lesson.

Example

First attempt: waited in the gate → checking prepositions → waited at the gate.

Writing Task · 08

5 min

Put it in writing

Sentence transformation

Type a short answer (1–3 words)

Q1.Gap 1 — type ONE word.

Q2.Gap 2 — type ONE word.

Q3.Gap 3 — type ONE word.

Q4.Gap 4 — type ONE word.

Q5.Gap 5 — type ONE word.

Q6.Gap 6 — type ONE word.

Answer all items, then check.

Writing Part 2Write an article

≈100 words

Write a short message (25–35 words) telling a friend your train/flight is delayed and suggesting a new meeting time.

Your writing draft

0 words Saved

Show model answer & examiner comment

Hi Leo, sorry, my train's delayed by 30 minutes — there was a problem on the line. Could we meet at 7:30 instead of 7? See you soon, hopefully! Nina

Examiner comment

Reward range, organisation and style. Penalise lists, off-topic or under-length answers.

Mark scheme extract

5	All content points covered; consistent style; range of structures; minor errors only.
3	Content mostly covered; mostly suitable style; some range; errors don't stop the reader understanding.
1	Limited content; intrusive errors; very basic structures; under-length.

Speaking Task · 09

10–15 min

Make it a real conversation

Open Expressions BankConversation phrases and functional language from across the course

Tell your partner about the worst travel problem you've had (delay, lost luggage, missed connection). Ask follow-up questions.

Useful phrases

Optional · Teacher-led

Teacher Activities

Build error-spotting speed with light competition. ~22 min total

Homework · 10

Take-home

Take it home

Self-study — everything you need is included below. All four skills are covered so you keep the spiral going between lessons; pick the order that suits you.

GrammarLanguage

Error-correction drill — find and fix the six mistakes in the travel text.

Your response

0 words Saved

Materials included

Text with errors

I travel to Bristol last Friday for a meeting. The train was delay by forty minutes, so I missed my connection. There wasn't much trains after that, so I had to wait an hour. I text my colleague to say I am late. When I finally arrived, the meeting is already over.

Attempt the task first, then check your answers.

ReadingReceptive

Open cloze practice — complete a new six-gap travel text.

Your response

0 words Saved

Materials included

Text

We were driving [[1]] the coast when the car suddenly stopped. There [[2]] no petrol stations nearby, [[3]] we had to call for help. The mechanic said it would take an hour, [[4]] we waited in a small café. Luckily, [[5]] of the staff spoke English. By the time we arrived [[6]] the hotel, it was already dark.

Attempt the task first, then check your answers.

WritingProductive

Write a message (25–35 words) explaining a travel problem to a hotel and asking them to hold your room.

Your response

0 words Saved

Recap · 11

2–3 min

What you've learned

Open cloze always tests the same six grammar-word families, in any topic.
Checking your own writing for articles and prepositions catches the most common mistakes.
Read the whole sentence, then the whole text, before finalising answers.
Travel vocabulary (delayed, connection, refund) recycles across all four skills.
A final self-check pass is worth doing even under time pressure.

Extra Practice

Need more practice?

Optional · your lesson progress stays the same

Future plans and conditions

Practise this exam skill

Habits vs right now

Practise this exam skill

Telling a story in the past

Practise this exam skill

All Extra Practice

Lesson 31 All lessons Lesson 33 →